Chris_Leo
Intern
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2007
- Posts
- 88
Hi all,
Thought I'd share a couple of first impressions re: economy class on the A380 QF12 flight (2nd I believe from LAX-SYD).
* Way too many people at the gate at LAX, resulting in substantial delays. I guess the hideous weather did not help!
* The LAX OW First Lounge was a joke...there was literally nowhere to sit!!!
* LAX sucks - even moreso with renovations currently in progress (the trek to the A380 gate requires walking through some pretty ghetto corridors!)
* The A380 is massive, and pictures really don't do it any justice. This bird has to be seen to be believed! Very impressive!
* Economy cabin appears to be larger than usual, however seating configuration is the same. Seated at front of aircraft near couple with child. Overhead baggage compartments still overcrowded, despite significantly larger bins. I wonder if this is because people are bringing more onboard, with the expectation that a larger plane will support more carry-on baggage.
* On board entertainment is awesome! Touch screen software worked like a charm - highly responsive and intuitive. Will be difficult to revert back to the previous generation software. Picture quality is excellent, as is the tilt capacity compared to previous generation. The amount of entertainment options is unparalleled, with practically whole seasons of TV shows available, as opposed to the 3 or 4 select episodes on the previous software.
* The road to take-off was lengthy, but once we were on our way, it was very fast. The noise on take-off has noticeably reduced, and lift-off was seamless (i.e. I didn't even notice we had lifted off the ground until I looked out the window).
* Economy seat is kind of weird, but in a good way. The whole seat slides/tilts forward which allows you to slide your feet under the seat in front of you (assuming you have not stowed baggage in front of you). This actually turned out to be a pleasant surprise, as I was able to stretch out in a flat position while sleeping (which I never thought possible in economy). The seat in front of you still enters your personal space, however, I'm happy to report that due to the new slide/tilt mechanism, this is nowhere near as intrusive as before.
* Cabin crew were excellent on this flight. You can tell that everyone was excited to be serving on the A380.
* Cabin food/beverage service remains unchanged.
* Did not venture down the back of the plane for the self-service snack area. Seemed like a huge hike for minimal benefit.
* Restrooms are brighter/cleaner.
Conclusion - the A380 economy product is a significant leap forward from the existing economy product. LAX still sucks!
Thought I'd share a couple of first impressions re: economy class on the A380 QF12 flight (2nd I believe from LAX-SYD).
* Way too many people at the gate at LAX, resulting in substantial delays. I guess the hideous weather did not help!
* The LAX OW First Lounge was a joke...there was literally nowhere to sit!!!
* LAX sucks - even moreso with renovations currently in progress (the trek to the A380 gate requires walking through some pretty ghetto corridors!)
* The A380 is massive, and pictures really don't do it any justice. This bird has to be seen to be believed! Very impressive!
* Economy cabin appears to be larger than usual, however seating configuration is the same. Seated at front of aircraft near couple with child. Overhead baggage compartments still overcrowded, despite significantly larger bins. I wonder if this is because people are bringing more onboard, with the expectation that a larger plane will support more carry-on baggage.
* On board entertainment is awesome! Touch screen software worked like a charm - highly responsive and intuitive. Will be difficult to revert back to the previous generation software. Picture quality is excellent, as is the tilt capacity compared to previous generation. The amount of entertainment options is unparalleled, with practically whole seasons of TV shows available, as opposed to the 3 or 4 select episodes on the previous software.
* The road to take-off was lengthy, but once we were on our way, it was very fast. The noise on take-off has noticeably reduced, and lift-off was seamless (i.e. I didn't even notice we had lifted off the ground until I looked out the window).
* Economy seat is kind of weird, but in a good way. The whole seat slides/tilts forward which allows you to slide your feet under the seat in front of you (assuming you have not stowed baggage in front of you). This actually turned out to be a pleasant surprise, as I was able to stretch out in a flat position while sleeping (which I never thought possible in economy). The seat in front of you still enters your personal space, however, I'm happy to report that due to the new slide/tilt mechanism, this is nowhere near as intrusive as before.
* Cabin crew were excellent on this flight. You can tell that everyone was excited to be serving on the A380.
* Cabin food/beverage service remains unchanged.
* Did not venture down the back of the plane for the self-service snack area. Seemed like a huge hike for minimal benefit.
* Restrooms are brighter/cleaner.
Conclusion - the A380 economy product is a significant leap forward from the existing economy product. LAX still sucks!